Sprayer device



Mai-ch 26, 1963 SONIA BORIS NEE JOKELSON 3,082,959

SPRAYER DEVICE Filed Jan. 31, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 26, 1963 SONIA BORIS NEE JOKELSON 3,082,959

SPRAYER DEVICE Filed Jan. 31, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w l w Q 1 I v 1 7 1157mm I I z I I l R! I Marh 26, 1963 SONIA BORIS NEE JOKELSON 3,08

SPRAYER DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 31, 1961 United States Patent 3,ii82,959 SRRAYER DEVICE Sonia Boris, nee Jokelson, Paris, France, assignor to $0- ciete Technique de Puiverisation, Pantin, Seine, France,

a company of France Filed Jan. 31, 1961, Ser. No. 86,192 Claims priority, application France Feb. 8, 1960 '7 Claims. (Qi- 239-329) This invention relates to sprayer or atomizer devices of the type in which the discharge of a jet of spray is produced by the action of gas under pressure contained in an auxiliary reservoir attached to the sprayer device, upon the body of liquid to be sprayed contained in a main reservoir of the device. A general object of the invention is to provide an improved sprayer or atomizer of this general type, which will be more efficient and practical in use than conventional devices of that type, more especially in that it will completely seal otf the liquid contents of the main reservoir from the exterior when the device is not in use.

In conventional sprayers of the kind including an auxiliary pressure gas reservoir attachment, means are provided for positively sealing off the gas pressure from the main liquid reservoir and from the exterior except when the device is actuated to produce a discharge of spray. However, such conventional sprayers are not generally provided with means for similarly sealing off the interior of the main reservoir from the exterior in periods of non-use, so that loss of liquid is liable to occur through evaporation and on the device being held in inverted position during handling. A specific object of the invention, therefore, is to provide valve means in such a sprayer whereby the contents of the main reservoir is normally sealed oif both from the pressure gas and from the exterior except when it is desired to operate the sprayer, whereupon communication is simultaneously established from the interior of the auxiliary gas reservoir tothe space overlying the liquid surface in the main reservoir, and from the body of liquid therein through a spray nozzle to the exterior.

A related object is to reduce the volume of pressure gas required to operate sprayers of the type herein specified.

In accordance with an aspect of the invention, there is provided an improved sprayer device comprising a main reservoir containing a body of fluid to be sprayed; an auxiliary reservoir containing a body of gas under superatmospheric pressure; a spray nozzle; first passage means for connecting the interior of the auxiliary reservoir with the interior of the main reservoir to apply gas pressure on the body of fluid in the main reservoir; second passage means for connecting the body of fluid in the main reservoir with said spray nozzle for discharging said fluid in a spray jet from the nozzle; and valve means interposed in both the first and second passage means and selectively operable for simultaneously sealing or simultaneously opening both of the passage means.

The above, and further objects, features and advantages of the invention, will appear as the disclosure pro ceeds, with reference to exemplary but non-restrictive embodiments of improved sprayer devices illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a vertical axial cross section of one form of improved sprayer in the idle condition;

FIG. 2 is a similar view illustrating the ope-rated condition of the sprayer device;

FIG. 3 is a similar view of a second embodiment of the invention in idle condition;

FIG. 4 shows the sprayer of FIG. 3 in operated condition;

3,082,959 Patented Mar. 26, 1963 FIG. 5 is a similar illustration of a third embodiment of the invention in idle condition;

FIG. 6 is a partial view of the sprayer device of FIG. 5, in section on a plane normal to that of the latter figure;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the sprayer device in its operated condition; and

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 6 in the operated condition of the sprayer.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, the sprayer device shown includes a sprayer body 1 adapted for screwthreacled connection at its bottom end over a generally balloon-shaped flat-bottomed main reservoir 2 adapted to contain a body of liquid to be sprayed. An annular gasket 3 is interposed as shown between the mating ends of the body 1 and main reservoir 2.

Formed vertically through the body 1 is a bore 4. Communicating with a side of this bore at an intermediate point of the length of the bore is a first side passage 5 leading to a screw-threaded opening 6 formed in a side of the body and adapted to receive a threaded neck ex tension of an auxiliary reservoir 7 in removable screwthreaded connection with it. The auxiliary reservoir 7 is adapted, in use, to contain a body of gas, usually air, at superatmospheric pressure.

Also connecting with a side of bore 4 preferably opposite from the passage 5 and axially spaced therefrom, e.g. upwardly spaced as shown, is another side passage 8 which leads to a spray nozzle 9 of any suitable type, e.g. a vortex type nozzle. Furthermore, a straight longitudinal groove 1% is formed in the surface of the bore 4, substantially also in the side diametrically opposite from that in which passage 5 is provided, which groove 10 extends from a point spaced from the upper side passage 8 and down to the lower end of bore 4 for communication with the inner space of reservoir 2.

A generally cylindrical valve member or spool 12 is mounted with a close sliding fit in the bore 4 with its upper end 13 protruding from the top of the bore to provide a push-button for finger-actuation of the device. The valve member 12 includes a reduced-diameter lower portion which defines with the surface of bore 4 an annular chamber in which a compression coil spring 11 is received. The spring 11 has its upper end seated against the annular shoulder defined around the valve member 12 by the reduction in diameter therein and has its lower end seated against an inward radial flange extending from the wall of bore 4 at the lower end thereof and through which the reduced-diameter portion of member 12 freely projects. The projecting portion of member 12 is screw-threaded and carries a stop member 14 screwed thereon for engagement with the under surface of body 1 thereby limiting the upward displacement of valve spool 12 under the action of the spring 11.

Formed axially through the valve spool 12 is a vertical duct 16 which extends from the lower end of spool 12. A dipper tube 15 fitted to the lower end of spool 12 provides an extension for connecting the duct 16 with the body of liquid in main reservoir 2 and extends down to a point near the bottom of said reservoir. A first annular groove 1? formed around the periphery of the valve spool 12 is so positioned that it is sealed against the wall surface of bore 4 in the idle condition of the device, i.e. in the position wherein stop 14 engages the under wall of body 1 as shown in FIG. 1, but said annular groove 19 is placed in communication with the straight groove it) when the valve spool 12 is moved to its operated position, shown in FIG. 2, on depression of push-button 13. A second annular groove 18 is formed in the periphery of spool 12 at a position spaced above groove 19, and is connected with the axial duct 16 by a radial passage 17. Groove 18 is so positioned as to be sealed against the side surface of bore 4- in the idle position of spool 12 but to communicate with the spraynozzle passage 12 in the depressed or operated position of the spool as shown in FIG. 2.

It will be apparent that in the operated condition of the device (FIG. 2) obtained by depression of push button 13, a communication is established from the interior of auxiliary gas reservoir '7 through passage 5, annular groove 19 and longitudinal groove 10 to the interior space of main reservoir 2 so that gas pressure is exerted upon the free surface of the liquid in the main reservoir. At the same time a communication is established from the body of liquid in the main reservoir through dipper tube 15, axial duct 16, passage 17, groove 18 and passage 3 with the spray nozzle 9'. In this condition therefore the gas pressure will force the liquid upwards through the tube 15 and axial duct 16 for discharge in a spray jet through the spray nozzle 9. On the other hand, in the idle condition of the device obtaining when push button 13 is released, each of the two communications just described is cut oil", so that the auxiliary reservoir '7 is sealed off from the interior of main reservoir 2, and simultaneously the body of liquid in said main reservoir is sealed oit from the jet nozzle 9.

' The embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is largely similar to that just described and corresponding parts, which have been designated by the same reference numerals, will not be described anew. The chief difference is that the auxiliary gas reservoir 7 is here supported from the upper end of valve member 12 by means of a screw thread connection as shown instead of being supported from the side of the sprayer body 1 as in FIGS. 1-2. In this case the spool 12 is formed in its upper part with an axial duct 2b aligned with but separated from duct 16 and communicating with the interior of auxiliary reservoir 7, an extension tube being preferably provided as shown to connect the top of duct 21; with a point near the top of reservoir 7. The duct 20 near its bottom end is connected by a radial passage 21 with the annular groove 22 which in this embodiment corresponds to groove 1% of FIGS. 1-2. Thus it is seen that the relative arrangement of the annular grooves 18 and 22 in FIGS. 3-4 is reversed with respect to the relative arran ement of the corresponding grooves 18 and 19 in FIGS. 1-2. In the operated condition of FIG. 4, annular groove 18 connects with the radial passage 8 leading to the spray nozzle 9, and annular groove 22 connects with the upper end of a vertical conduit 23 which corresponds in function to vertical groove 10 of FIGS. 1-2 though in the present embodiment it is separate from the bore 4. In this condition then, communication is provided for pressure gas from reservoir 7 through duct 29, passage 21, groove 22 and duct 23 to the interior of main reservoir 2, and communication is provided from the body of liquid in said main reservoir up through tube 15, duct 16, groove 18 and passage 8 to the spray nozzle 9, thereby producing the desired discharge through said nozzle. In the idle condition of FIG. 3, each of said communications is cut off as in the first embodiment. It will be noted that in the embodiment of FIGS. 3-4 the top of the gas reservoir 7 serves as the actuating push-button.

Yet another arrangement is shown in FIGS. to 8 wherein similar references have again been used to designate parts similar or corresponding to parts present in the first or second embodiments described. The general lay-out in the third embodiment is such that pushbutton 130 projects from a side of the sprayer body rather than from the top thereof, whereby the device is somewhat more convenient to actuate if it is of large size. In this case therefore the sprayer body 1 is formed with the transverse, horizontal bore 4a in which is slidable the valve spool 12a actuated in one direction (leftward in FIGS. 5 and 7) by the spring 11 to the idle condition shown in FIG. 5 where said spool is .abutted against an inner flange of the valve bore 4a, and actuable in the opposite (rightward) direction by depression of push-button 13a as shown by arrow St A vertical duct 24 formed in the lower part of body 1 connects at its upper end with an intermediate point of bore 4a and at its lower end opens into the dipper tube 15 depending from the valve body 1, A radial passage 25 (see FIG. 6) extending horizontally from a side of bore 4:: in the same vertical plane as the vertical duct 24 leads to the laterally-disposed sprayer nozzle 9. The auxiliary pressure gas reservoir 7 is attached over the top of the body 1 by a screw connection around a threaded boss 26 projecting upwards from said body and a vertical duct 5:; connects the valve bore 4a substantially at the midpoint thereof with the interior of reservoir 7 through an extension tube somewhat as in the embodiment of FIGS. 3-4. Furthermore the bore 4a is connected by a conduit 27 formed in body 1 with the interior of the main reservoir 2, it being noted that all four passages 24, 25, 5a and 27 are positioned substantially in a common vertical plane transverse to the axis of valve bore 4a.

Formed in the periphery of valve spool 4a is an arcuate groove 28 which extends over about of the periphery of the spool and is so positioned that on depression of push button the groove 28 interconnects the ducts 24- and 25 as shown in FIG. 8. Another 90 groove 29 diametrically opposed to the groove 23 is simultaneously adapted to interconnect the conduits 5a and 27. Thus it is evident that on depression of push button 134: a first communication is provided from the gas reservoir to the interior of the main reservoir, and a second communication is simultaneousiy provided from the body of liquid in the main reservoir to the spray nozzle, thereby producing a spray discharge, whilst on release of the push button both communications are simultaneously cut oil as in the first two embodiments described.

It will be understood that various embodiments other than the three illustrated and described herein may be conceived within the scope of the invention as defined in the ensuing claims.

What I claim is:

l. A sprayer device comprising A. a main reservoir adapted to contain fluid to be sprayed,

B. an auxiliary reservoir adapted to contain compressed C. a spray nozzle, and

D. a valve asembly supporting said auxiliary reservoir and nozzle and including 7 (l) a body mounted on said main reservoir and having a valve bore,

(2) a, valve member slidable in said bore between inoperative and operative positions, (3) said body and valve member having first cooperative passage means therein extending from said nozzle and from said main reservoir and opening at said valve bore to register with each other and thereby provide communication between said nozzle and main reservoir, only in said operative position of said valve member. (4) said body and valve member having second cooperative passage means therein extending from said auxiliary reservoir and said main reservoir and opening at said valve bore to register with each other, and thereby provide communication between said auxiliary and main reservoirs, only in said operative position of said valve member, (5) spring means yieldably urging said valve member to said inoperative position, and (6) an end portion of said valve member projecting out of said body to permit manual actuation of said valve member to said operative position, whereby compressed gas from said auxiliary reservoir can act through the registered econd passage means on iluid in said main reservoir to drive the fluid through the simultaneously registered first passage means and out of said nozzle.

2. A sprayer device as in claim 1;

further comprising a dip tube depending from said valve assembly into said main reservoir and constituting an extension of said first passage means.

3. A sprayer device as in claim 1;

wherein said nozzle is mounted on said body, and said auxiliary reservoir is mounted on said end portion of the valve member.

4. A sprayer device as in claim 3;

a. wherein said valve member is axially slidable in said bore of the body and has first and second passages extending axially therein and opening into said main reservoir and said auxiliary reservoir to constitute parts of said first and second passage means, respectively, said first and second passages opening radially at said bore at spaced apart locations intermediate the ends of said valve member; and

b. wherein said body has first and second passages therein extending from said nozzle and main reservoir, respectively, and opening at said bore at said spaced apart locations of the radial openings of the first and second passages of the valve member in said operative position of ,the latter, thereby to constitute the remainder of said first and second passage means, respectively.

5. A sprayer device as in claim 1;

wherein said nozzle and auxiliary reservoir are both mounted on said body of the valve assembly.

6. A sprayer device as in claim 5;

a. wherein said valve member is axially slidable in said bore and has a passage extending axially therein and opening, at one end, into said main reservoir and, at its other end, radially into said bore at a location intermediate the ends of the valve memher to constitute part of said first passage means, and the valve member further has a. circumferential groove at a location spaced axially from the radial opening of said passage and constituting part of said second passage means; and

b. wherein said body has a first passage extending from said nozzle and opening at said bore to there register with said radial opening of said passage of the valve member in the operative position of the latter for completing said first passage means, and second passages extending from said main and auxiliary reservoirs, respectively, and opening at said bore to there register with said groove in said operative position of the valve member for completing said second passage means.

. A sprayer device as in claim 5;

a. wherein said valve member is axially slidable in said bore and has first and second grooves extending circumferentially in the surface thereof to constitute parts of said first and second passage means, respectively; and

b. wherein said body has first passages extending from said nozzle and main reservoir, respectively, and opening at said bore to register with said first groove in the operative position of the valve member for completing said first passage means, and said body further has second passages extending from said main and auxiliary reservoirs and opening at said bore to there register with said second groove in the operative position of said valve member for completing said second passage means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,935,973 Altmann Nov. 21, 1933 1,968,316 Schmitt July 31, 1934 2,037,207 Brown Apr. 14, 1936 2,595,317 White May 6, 1952 2,921,711 Mack Jan. 19, 1960 3,008,651 Follain Nov. 14, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,037,231 France Apr. 29, 1953 

1. A SPRAYER DEVICE COMPRISING A. A MAIN RESERVOIR ADAPTED TO CONTAIN FLUID TO BE SPRAYED, B. AN AUXILIARY RESERVOIR ADAPTED TO CONTAIN COMPRESSED GAS, C. A SPRAY NOZZLE, AND D. A VALVE ASEMBLY SUPPORTING SAID AUXILIARY RESERVOIR AND NOZZLE AND INCLUDING (1) A BODY MOUNTED ON SAID MAIN RESERVOIR AND HAVING A VALVE BORE, (2) A VALVE MEMBER SLIDABLE IN SAID BORE BETWEEN INOPERATIVE AND OPERATIVE POSITIONS, (3) SAID BODY AND VALVE MEMBER HAVING FIRST COOPERATIVE PASSAGE MEANS THEREIN EXTENDING FROM SAID NOZZLE AND FROM SAID MAIN RESERVOIR AND OPENING AT SAID VALVE BORE TO REGISTER WITH EACH OTHER AND THEREBY PROVIDE COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SAID NOZZLE AND MAIN RESERVOIR, ONLY IN SAID OPERATIVE POSITION OF SAID VALVE MEMBER. (4) SAID BODY AND VALVE MEMBER HAVING SECOND COOPERATIVE PASSAGE MEANS THEREIN EXTENDING 